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I walk nearly every day. No real excuse not to as I have common land just yards from my house. I have walked every inch of it over the years and so often find that my mind also wanders and I am not necessarily appreciating my surroundings. Thursday was a particularly hot day and despite that I decided to walk up hill via the dirt track which has no shade. To complete the circuit takes an hour. I was on my way back when suddenly my attention was diverted from the miriad of thoughts whirring away in my head. Just in front of me was a basking Adder. It quite obviously had no intention of moving as it was absorbing the heat of the sun. Its eyes glinted and it looked so totally content. Fortunately I do not startle easily, nor am I afraid of snakes. I took a few moments to observe and admire it before cautiously moving aside and around it. Those moments were precious, I felt I had communed with the snake and been given some vital wisdom - the purpose of all snakes in any mythological stories of course. I was very aware that the presence of the snake had brought me back to the present moment and given me the gift of remembering to walk in the spirit of mindful meditation, so often forgotten when I am mulling over an issue in my mind. More importantly however, snake as an animal totem holds the primal energy of the life force - the very source of our existence. Symbolically, a snake represents important transitions and changes occuring in your life. It bestows increased energy and the ability to heal unconscious drives and instinctive reactions that keep us tied to old patterns. It also warns us to be more aware of how we use our energy and where/who, if at all, we are drawing support from. Spiritual guidance is available to those who ask but the snake also asks us to ensure we remain grounded so that any personal growth can be anchored in reality. When centred and grounded our intuition sharpens and our creative forces awaken leading to wisdom, understanding and wholeness. This is the power of transmutation at its best. What a blessing indeed and so apt for my present situation! When we are mindful and aware of all that surrounds us we can be open to the messages that every sacred moment holds for us. Spending time in nature, away from the general hubbub and collective stress, is the best way to hear and feel what is calling to us.